


Treasure Hunt

by three_days_late



Series: Febuwhump 2021 [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: FebuWhump2021, Ghosts, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mind Control, Possession, Whump, idk if the violence is all that graphic but better safe then sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:08:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29145693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/three_days_late/pseuds/three_days_late
Summary: “Oh yes.” A voice echoed around the room, seeming to come from the treasure itself, “You’ll do nicely.”When Sanji gets possessed while hunting for cursed treasure, it's up to Zoro to save him - and the rest of the crew - from himself.
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji
Series: Febuwhump 2021 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2139261
Comments: 5
Kudos: 190
Collections: febuwhump 2021





	Treasure Hunt

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to try doing
> 
> [Febuwhump](https://febuwhump.tumblr.com/post/638041380836540416/febuwhump-2021-prompts-the-prompt-list-is-out)
> 
> and see how many prompts I can actually get through. Tbh I'm mostly using this as an excuse to write more h/c, as is the nature of whump they'll be heavy on the h, but as is the nature of me they'll most likely be some c.
> 
> So here's my fic for the day 1 prompt: Mind Control.

“Sure, there’s plenty of treasure in the old Bustamante place up on the hill there,” the barkeep had told them, Nami’s eyes sparkling with glee as she leaned in closer, “But no one can claim it ‘cause it’s cursed.”

“Cursed?” the color drained from Usopp’s face, “Cursed how?”

“Dunno. No one around here does.” She shrugged, flipping her hair over her shoulder, and Sanji had been so distracted by the low cut of her shirt that he almost missed the next part, “Travelers go up there sometimes, to get the treasure. Pirates. Treasure hunters. Some Marines under a deranged Rear Admiral once. But none of them every come back. The locals all know better and stay away from the place.”

So that was how Sanji, Nami, Usopp, and Zoro found themselves searching the derelict old mansion for hidden treasure.

Sanji, for the record, was thrilled to be searching for treasure for Nami. He couldn’t think of a better use of an entire afternoon than making her happy.

Usopp refused to step foot inside what he insisted was a haunted house, but threats to his personal wellbeing by Sanji and to his finances by Nami were enough to coerce him into the house.

He wasn’t exactly sure why Zoro was here. He had actually volunteered to help with the shopping and had followed Sanji already dutifully all day, but he’d slept through the barkeeps entire explanation and had no idea what they were doing here. Still, Nami had promised to reduce his debt if he found something worthwhile, so he sighed and followed them all in.

Sanji was currently searching the topmost floor. There was a handful of old, dusty bedrooms littered with broken furniture and ripped fabrics, but nothing sparkly or of value anywhere. The locals had said that the place had been abandoned for well over a hundred years. Maybe it had been looted ages ago and the treasure was a myth?

Already dejected at the thought of disappointing his dear Nami, he opened the final door. The hinges creaked with age and scattered dust into his face. He coughed and swatted it away. As his eyes cleared, they fell on one of the largest treasure hoards he’d ever seen. Gold coins were piled up along the sides, with silver goblets resting on top, along with copper and bronze jewelry scattered throughout. All packed into a room about as big as his kitchen on the Sunny. All theirs for the taking.

As he stepped further into the room something caught his ankle. He looked down and saw a bony hand reaching out of one of the piles near the door.

He kicked it away on instinct, and the bones fell away lifeless. As he took in more of the room, he noticed that there were about a dozen skeletons lying around the place, each huddled next to their own pile of treasure, each one dried and dusty and dead.

He paused as he surveyed the skeletons and the treasure. It took more than a few skeletons to freak him out, but there hadn’t been any remains anywhere else on this level, just here in the room with the treasure, and that was enough to set him on edge. Something wasn’t right here.

He slowly backed away, his eyes darting between the skeletons as he made his way to the door.

Just as he was approaching the threshold, coins whipped out of a nearby pile in a chain and wrapped tightly around his wrist. Before he could lift a leg to stop it, the same unforgiving grip took ahold of his other wrist, and both coin chains forced him to his knees.

“What the shit?” he cursed as he struggled futilely against the coins. As he did, the rest of the treasure took on an eerie glow and sprung to life.

“ _Oh yes.”_ A voice echoed around the room, seeming to come from the treasure itself, “ _You’ll do nicely.”_

He struggled even harder against the shitty treasure, but to no avail. Something pressed against his forehead, and he knew no more.

* * *

Nami sighed as she opened the drawers to the desk and found it empty. Nothing, not one damn berri anywhere in this stupid house. What was the point of rumors about treasure if there was no actual treasure?

Footsteps echoed across the room and she turned to find Sanji standing in the doorway, a lit cigarette dangling out of the corner of his mouth.

“I struck out here,” she frowned and kicked the drawer shut once more, “What about you? Did you find anything?”

Sanji was quiet as he stood in the doorway. His bangs were covering his eyes, and his silence was starting to unnerve her.

“What’s wrong?” She asked as she stepped forward, “Is everything-”

Before she could finish the sentence, Sanji lunged forward and kicked her hard in the side. She went flying across the room and hit the floor hard as the air was driven out of her lungs. lraving her gasping for breath.

She froze, more shocked by the fact that _Sanji_ kicked her than that Sanji _kicked_ her, but before she could process the situation he was moving towards her again.

She managed to whip out her climatact and bring it up in time to block his next kick, but the force of it pushed her back into the wall. Slumped on the floor, she waited until Sanji raised his foot for his next kick then whacked him hard on the ankle he was balancing on. He stumbled, and she used that time to cover the room in a thick fog and flee out the door.

What the hell was going on? Not only was she being attacked by one of her crewmates, she was being attacked by Sanji. _Sanji_ , who would rather die a thousand deaths than hurt any lady, let alone his _friend_ , let alone _her_. Was this what the barkeep was talking about when she said this place was cursed?

Before she could ponder it more, Sanji burst out of the fog and slammed her against the wall, her climatact clattering to the floor by her feet.

She glanced up at his face and it was almost unrecognizable, his mouth curled into a snarl and his eyes full of rage and malice.

“Sanji-” she started to say, but was cut off when one of his hands came up and wrapped around her neck, pinning her to the wall as he started to squeeze.

She struggled desperately to get air to her lungs, but he just squeezed tighter and lifted her off the ground by her neck. Her legs flailed, kicking out against his shins as her nails dug into his wrist, breaking the skin as she tried to claw her way free, but he stood there still as a statue, completely unmoved as he squeezed the life out of her.

She was going to die. He was going to kill her.

The thought sent a cold jolt of fear down her spine as her vision started to go dark. Everything faded until all she could see was his face and the hatred painted across it.

Suddenly green leafy vines burst out of the floor, separating them and tossing Sanji to the side as she fell to the floor. She gasped, taking in lungful after lungful of air, as she felt around on the ground for her climatact and looked up.

Usopp was there, slingshot out and shaking from head to toe as his eyes darted between the two of them, “What the-”

Sanji was up quickly, dashing down the hallway before either of them realized it and aimed a kick at Usopp’s head. He got an arm up in time to block, but Nami could still hear the sickening crack of bone breaking as he was sent sprawling to the ground by her.

Usopp barely had time to turn over before Sanji was there again, leg raised high in the air and heel positioned right over Usopp’s head.

“Don’t,” she choked out of her damaged vocal chords, tears streaming down her face, “Please...”

Sanji wasn’t listening. His heel came down at an alarming speed and she closed her eyes in horror.

A loud clang sounded, and her eyes flew open to find Zoro standing in front of them, one sword out to block the kick. He reached his hand to his side and pulled out a second sword to swipe at Sanji, forcing him back a few steps.

“Get back to the ship,” he said to them, but his eye never left Sanji. “Now.”

Usopp sat up, cradling his broken arm close to his chest as Nami took his arm and pulled them both to their feet.

“But,” she said as she retracted her climatact, “What about-?”

“I’ll handle him,” Zoro said as he pulled out his third sword and put it in his mouth.

She stared at him. Zoro was certainly a match for Sanji, there was no question about that, but if Sanji was going for killing blows, would Zoro be able to reciprocate? She knew all about Zoro’s big huge crush on Sanji. If it came down to kill or be killed, what would Zoro do?

“Would you...?” She started, her voice breaking halfway though.

Zoro’s face hardened, the Demon of East Blue coming out once more, “If I have to.”

She took a deep shuttering breath as Usopp went still next to her.

“Go,” Zoro repeated, readying his stance, “Now.”

Sanji lunged forward with another vicious kick, but was met by Zoro’s swords. Nami’s grip on Usopp’s arm tightened as they turned and fled.

* * *

Zoro and Sanji fought a lot. They fought so much that Zoro was comfortable saying he knew how Sanji fought better than anybody else.

This would have been easier if Sanji was fighting differently, but he wasn’t. The way he dodged and countered and kicked was pure Sanji. This could have been any of their usual spars, except Sanji was going for kill blows every time.

“The hell’s gotten into you, Cook?” He muttered out around his sword hilt. Sanji had gotten a few good kicks to his chest, and he had at least one cracked rib. He’d gotten a few good slices in too, and Sanji was bleeding from a clean slice on his thigh and a few shallow cuts to his chest.

If he had been in his right mind, he would be bitching at Zoro for ruining his suit, but he’d taken the damage without comment. He hadn’t said anything, just silently pummeled Zoro with every kick in his repertoire.

Sanji darted forward once more, aiming a crushing blow at Zoro’s knee. He managed to block it with two of his swords and turned his head to strike high with the third, expecting Sanji to jump back and avoid the slice.

Instead, Sanji brought his hands up to block the blade from his face and put more pressure on Zoro’s swords with his foot.

Zoro stared as the blood seeped from Sanji’s hands, and pulled away immediately.

Sanji stared at him, an almost manic look in his eyes. The blood trickled from his hands onto the floor and he just stood there, unperturbed that his precious hands, the ones that were only for cooking and creating and feeding and caring, were hurt.

“Okay,” Zoro said, shifted his swords as he untied his bandana from his arm and wrapped it around his head, “If that’s how it’s gonna be.”

Sanji rushed forward, and Zoro brought his swords up in a flash to block.

Sanji’s attacks came faster now, and it was all Zoro could do to keep up. He kicked high, aiming for his head, and Zoro ducked and slashed at his inner thigh, causing him to stumble. He followed up quickly, forcing Sanji to back up until he hit the wall.

Zoro knew what the next move to end the fight should be. Sanji’s retreat meant that Zoro’s sword was positioned right by his exposed neck. One slice and his would all be over.

Wado hovered right about Sanji’s neck, the steel of her blade kissing the sensitive skin there, and Zoro paused. Sanji was out of control. He had hurt Nami and Usopp. He was trying to kill them, to kill him, and he needed to be stopped. All of Zoro’s instincts were telling him to go for the killing blow.

But, this was _Sanji_. This was their cook, the man who made sure they were all fed and taken care of no matter what. Who would sneak his favorite rice balls and sake into the crow’s nest whenever he had watch. Who always had Zoro’s back in a fight. Who laughed and smiled and danced with the crew. Who he loved.

Shit, Nami was right. There was no way he could kill him.

Sanji took advantage of Zoro’s hesitation by kneeing him hard in the stomach, forcing him to double over and cough, dropping the sword in his mouth.

Before he could recover, Sanji kicked him hard in the chest, sending him flying back down the hall. His back slammed hard into the wall and he collapsed into a heap on the floor.

Sanji was there in an instant, leg raised high above his head, preparing for the killing blow.

Zoro stared up at him in a daze, searching for any sign of his Sanji, but all he found was a cold stare full of malice as his foot came down.

Suddenly dozens of arms sprouted out of Sanji’s body, holding him tight and restraining him. He tried to kick them away, but more arms came out of the floor and held his legs in place.

“Robin,” Zoro sighed as a relieved smile spread across his face.

“Nami and Usopp are alright.”

She was standing behind Sanji, arms crossed and tense with the effort of restraining him as a sharp frown cut across her face.

“Nami has a few broken ribs and a damaged larynx, Usopp has a broken arm, but Chopper is treating them both and is confident they’ll recover.”

“Good,” he sighed in relief as he slowly stood up and nodded at Sanji, “Do you know what’s wrong with him?”

Sanji thrashed against the arms, causing a few to burst into petals, but Robin simply sprouted even more to take their place.

“There’s a rather prevalent legend in these waters,” she said, “About a condition known as Treasure Lust.”

“Treasure Lust?” He glanced back at Sanji. His face looked more like rage than lust or greed. “Sounds more like something Nami would catch than the Cook.”

“Indeed,” she glanced at Sanji too. “According to the locals, Treasure Lust occurs when someone hoards an exceptional amount of wealth and refuses to give up any of it for any reason. They become obsessed with it, always trying to obtain more and more, to the point of forgoing basic decency or self-preservation. Their entire existence becomes about the treasure hoard.”

“The Cook’s not like that,” Zoro insisted, “He doesn’t even have that much money. And if he did find the treasure that’s supposed to be here, he would’ve given it to Nami, not hoarded it.”

“Yes,” she nodded in agreement, “However, it appears in extreme cases of Treasure Lust, upon the hoarder’s death, their spirit infects their treasure, and anyone who tries to lay claim to it.”

“So he’s possessed by some stupid treasure ghost?”

“That’s one way of putting it.” Her frown deepened as she continued, “Most of the legends describe it as the treasure turning would-be looters into guardians, binding them to the treasure hoard and forcing them to protect it.”

Of all the stupid, idiotic things to happen to Sanji, he was possessed by treasure, “So how do we snap him out of it?”

“The only guaranteed way to sever his connection to the treasure hoard is by death.”

His eye narrowed, “That’s not an option.”

“Obviously,” she sprouted a few more arms to keep Sanji from thrashing about. “We could try destroying the treasure itself-”

Sanji let out an inhuman screech at that, redoubling his escape efforts as he attempted to bite and claw his way out of Robin’s grasp. She winced as he scratched at her arms, drawing small pinpricks of blood on her real arms, but kept dutifully sprouting replacements.

“-Of course, in his current state Sanji will do everything he can to stop us,” she continued. “Also, it’s possible that Sanji’s life force is already tied to the treasure. If that’s the case, then destroying it will kill him.”

Dread spread through Zoro, the intensity of it almost knocking him off his feet again. Either Sanji was going to kill them or they would have to kill him, one way or the other.

Suddenly Sanji burst into flames, forcing Robin to retract her arms or risk getting burned. He turned to snarl at her, crouching down and tensing as if he was going to sprint at her.

Before he could, Zoro got in between them, swords raised and poised to strike, “Go find the treasure and destroy it.”

“Are you sure?”

“If it’s the only chance of getting him out of here alive, then we have to take it,” he said as he sized up Sanij, “He was searching upstairs, so start there. I’ll hold him off.”

“Okay,” she said, and he didn’t bother to turn around, trusting that she knew what to do.

“This is your last chance, Treasure Ghost,” Zoro said as he pointed a sword at Sanji, “Let him go.”

Sanji sneered, then lunged forward, flaming kick aiming right for his head.

Zoro swiftly blocked it with his sword, “That all you got, Shit Cook?”

Sanji snarled as he leapt back, fire growing even hotter, and Zoro readied himself for the next attack.

He may not be able to kill Sanji, but distracting Sanji was an art he’d long since perfected.

As his swords clashed once more with Sanji’s feet, their eyes met. He searched his face desperately for any sign that the man he knew so well was in there somewhere, trying to break free, but all he saw was the rage and malice of the stupid treasure ghost.

“Is this really how you want to go, shit-cook?” Zoro snarled, “Doing the bidding of a pile of useless treasure?”

Sanji snarled and growled as he launched into deadly series of attacks. Zoro as able to counter most of them, but a few hit home and he could feel several ribs crack from the force. He slashed out in retaliation, but when Sanji rose his arm to block the blade, Zoro redirected it down towards his torso instead, landing a long thin cut on his side.

Sanji stared at him, not quite glaring, but the rage was still simmering in his gaze. Not one to back down, Zoro stared right back.

“I’m going to save him,” he said. Whether he was telling himself or Sanji or the ghost he wasn’t sure.

A loud thud echoed from upstairs, causing them both to look up. They quickly looked back at each other for half a second, then Sanji kicked out at him hard, forcing Zoro to jump back. While he retreated, Sanji ran towards and up the steps.

“Shit,” Zoro cursed and gave chase.

As he sprinted up the stairs after him, he spotted Robin and her clones down the hall in a room full of treasure with what appeared to be canisters of oil. Sanji had seen her too, and as she started dumping the oil on the treasure, he began sprinting down the hall towards her.

“No!” Zoro shouted as he ran after him, but there was no way he could get to Robin in time to protect her. Instead he sheathed his swords and grabbed Sanji by the waist and tackled him to the ground.

Sanji struggled beneath him, legs lashing out in vicious kicks to his injured side as he desperately tried to get away, but Zoro held fast, gripping his wrists tight as he held him down.

He glanced up at Robin. She was almost done, he just needed to buy her a few more seconds, but even as he thought that Sanji’s flailing grew even more frantic, and he headbutted him under his chin.

Zoro’s grip slackened for a moment, and Sanji was able to pull himself free and shove him off.

Zoro panicked and made one last desperate play to buy Robin more time. He gripped Sanji’s tie and tugged him forward, kissing him hard on the mouth.

It had the desired effect. Sanji froze for a half second, and in that half second Robin lit ten matches simultaneously and tossed them onto the oil slick treasure, engulfing it in bright blue flames.

Sanji let out a bloodcurdling scream that forced Zoro to release him and cover his own ears. His back arched up at a terrifying angle as he thrashed around, knocking Zoro off of him. Robin came out into the hallway and crossed her arms, but Zoro was quicker, grabbing him by the torso and restraining him as he continued thrashing about.

“We need to move,” she said as she hurried down the hall, “Unless we want to become charred remains with the rest of the building.”

Zoro dragged Sanji to his feet and hurried after her.

They made it outside just as the rest of the building was engulfed in flames. Sanji had gone from thrashing about to shaking in Zoro’s arms, and as soon as they were clear of the building he collapsed and went still like so much dead weight.

“Cook,” he shouted as he lowered him to the ground and shook his shoulders, “Wake up!”

Sanji was unresponsive, head lolling to the side.

Zoro grabbed the lapels of his jacket and shook him harder, desperately, “Don’t you dare fucking die on me! Don’t let some stupid treasure beat you!”

The ash from the burning building was falling around them. They should probably move away from the building before the fire spread more, but he couldn’t be bothered right now. Not until Sanji opened his eyes or moved or breathed or did _something_ to prove he was still alive.

In a fit of desperation, Zoro tugged him close and held him in a tight hug, fingers burying into his hair as his other hand clutched at his back.

“Please,” he whispered into Sanji’s hair, “Please wake up, Sanji.”

Robin placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and reached out to stroke Sanji’s hair away from his face.

“It, was a risk either way,” she said, “Even if we didn’t, he’d-”

Suddenly Sanji gasped, his lungs taking in gulps of air as his fingers twitched then clutched Zoro’s arms hard. His head rolled over onto Zoro’s shoulder and his eye cracked open, bright blue blurry as it darted around until it found his face and focused.

“...Zoro?” Sanji said, voice cracking.

Zoro reached a hand up to cup his face. Sanji smiled slightly before he went limp once more and passed out.

“Sanji!” he shouted, a spike of true fear piercing his chest, but Robin’s fingers were already at his neck.

The longest moment of his life passed before she declared, “He’s alive. Just sleeping.”

Relief flooded through him, grounding him to the spot as he held him closer and felt his breath on his neck and reveled in the fact that he was alive.

“We should go,” Robin said as she stood up, “I’m sure the fire has alerted the locals, and we wouldn’t want to be here when they find out we burnt down the oldest house on the island.”

Zoro nodded, scooping Sanji carefully into his arms as he stood, and followed her back to the ship.

* * *

Sanji sat at the back of the ship, puffing on his cigarette as he tried not to think. Tried not to remember what it felt like to squeeze the life out of Nami, or to shatter Usopp’s arm under his foot, or try and try and try to kill Zoro.

Shit.

He clutched his hair and groaned.

“What’s got you so moody?”

Sanji looked up and saw Zoro standing there, bandages wrapped tight around his head and his chest with a bottle of sake dangling between his fingers. Sanji had his own fair share of bandages – it’s not like Zoro just laid down and died when he tried to brutally murder him – but the guilty clawed up his chest the longer he looked at him, so he glanced away and inhaled sharply from his cigarette.

“I’m gonna leave the crew,” he said after a moment, “It’s only right.”

Zoro scoffed, “Like hell you are,” and sat down next to him.

“I have to,” he insisted, “I hurt my crewmates, I tried to kill them.” He shook his head and took another drag, “How can I possibly stay on this ship when they can’t stand the sight of me?”

“Have you actually talked to Nami and Usopp since we got back?”

“No,” he sighed, exhaling smoke as he curled further into himself, “Why would I? They don’t want to see me.”

“Of course they do,” Zoro insisted, “We don’t blame you for what happened. We know that wasn’t you.”

“Of course it was me!” he snapped and turned to face him, “Your ribs didn’t fracture themselves, idiot! I fucking kicked them while I was trying to kill you, or did you forget?”

Zoro took a sip from his drink and stared at him calmly, “You got possessed by some shitty treasure ghost and were forced to do its bidding. You didn’t choose to attack us.”

“But I did.”

He sighed, “Well, what if it wasn’t you? What if Nami’s the one who went upstairs and found the treasure and went berserk and started attacking us? Would you blame her?”

“Of course not,” he shook his head, “But that’s different.”

“What if it was Usopp?” he gestured towards Sanji’s arm, “What if he got possessed and used one of his plant things to break your arm? Would it be his fault?”

He grabbed his arm instinctively, “No, but-”

“What if it was me? What if the shitty ghost got me and I started trying to slice your head off for real?”

“That’s different,” he insisted, “You would never attack us out of the blue like that if something wasn’t wrong.”

“Exactly,” he nodded, “And we know you wouldn’t either.”

“It’s _different_ ,” he said more forcefully.

“How? How is it different?”

“Because,” he bit down on the cigarette filter.

“Because why? What makes you so goddamn unforgivable in all this?”

“Because I remember!” he shouted at him, “I remember being so fucking angry and hating you all and wanting to _hurt_ you so damn bad. I remember seeing Nami just standing there and being so pissed off and _kicking_ her. I fucking _hurt_ her! I remember attacking Usopp and for what?” He buried his face in his hand, “I would have killed them if you hadn’t stopped me, and that’s fucking terrifying.”

“That wasn’t you.”

“It sure as shit felt like me.”

“It _wasn’t_.”

Sanji glanced over at him. The full intensity of his gaze focused on him, and he felt his heart skip a beat.

“I’ll tell you again and again until you believe me,” Zoro continued, “That wasn’t your anger you were feeling, it was some greedy ass ghost’s. The shitty ghost _used_ you to hurt us because it was a bitch and a coward, you never had a choice. You didn’t attack us because you never would.”

Sanji breathed deeply and exhaled slowly, letting Zoro’s words sink in and finally starting to forgive himself for being so damn weak in the first place.

“Okay,” he said eventually, “I won’t leave the crew.”

Zoro scoffed, “Well, that’s a start.”

They sat in silence for a few moments before Sanji broke it with, “So, did you actually kiss me back there or is that something I imagined?”

Zoro tensed and answered, “Uh, yeah.”

“I see.” He could feel Zoro’s gaze on him as he finished his cigarette and flicked it over the railing. He exhaled the last of the smoke in his lungs, watched it drift up into the sky and blow away with the wind, and felt the last of his anxieties leave with it.

He looked back at Zoro and found him still staring at him, almost apprehensive, if Zoro was even capable of feeling apprehension. Smirking, he leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips.

Zoro froze for a moment, but quickly reciprocated. When the pulled apart, he blinked and asked, “Uh, what was that for?”

“Wanted to know what it was like to kiss you without some shitty ghost possessing me,” he said as he lit a new cigarette. “It was nice. We should do it more often.”

“Yeah,” Zoro nodded in a daze, “Yeah, we should.”

Sanji smiled and leaned back against the railing. The cuts Zoro gave him throbbed under the bandages, and he could see Zoro shifting around, his broken ribs and bruises making him uncomfortable, but he let the afternoon sunlight wash over him, and knew that everything was going to be okay.


End file.
